On the 5th day of Christmas — www.MyNewJobHunt.com revealed to me:

5 Golden Rules!

It isn’t about you – it’s about them. The customer comes 1st. I cannot over emphasize this! Employers don’t care about what you want to do or even who you are until after they’ve hired you. So, stop telling them about your dreams and start selling to their needs. That starts with qualifying your prospects. Before you start interviewing you need to know what a qualified prospect for YOU looks like.

1st choose a company lifecycle which suits you best [start-up, early phase, funded, or mature]

2nd, decide where you can best leverage your rolodex and experience.

3rd match your personal style to the industry.

4th make a promise that would interest your reader.

When you line up all three elements successfully in one position you’ll have a winning opportunity that suits you. No one says you can’t have a little fun too!

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile! See Rule #1!!! Rip a page from the SEO Guru Little Black Book. Use SEO tactics. Using keywords in your profile to Search Engine Optimize (SEO) YOU will make you easier to find. And it’s easy!

2. Then write your profile in a way to include those words. If you understand what the employer is looking for and include those terms they will find you when they are looking for someone with those qualifications. (You could also Google Jim Stroud’s e-book, “Resume Forensics”, for a guide to the Key Words recruiters use to find people.)

You are the brand. In today’s world you need to create a LinkedIn Profile that makes you get noticed. You use SEO to be found AND when they find you – you focus on what you know they need Rule #1. But Your LI profile needs to be a reflection of not only your past experience but who you are as an individual because let’s face it personality counts just as much as your credentials. So, stuff it with attitude and make it uniquely yours. Remember, you can’t bore someone in to interviewing you so NO “responsible for…” statements – that’s what everyone else does AND it does not inspire or impress. Focus on accomplishments and deliverables!

What is ‘sexy’ to an employer? Accomplishments detailing $$$ made or saved..

Sex sells. Marketing and advertising people know it and you just proved it. However, we usually associate being sexy with physical attractiveness – not your LinkedIn Profile. Hello! The principal is the same. You’re focusing on the hiring manager’s desire for more. More sales… More power… More prestige… Their desires!

Now, honestly does your LinkedIn Profile so excite an employer that simply reviewing it compels them to stalk you, call you up and demand you interview with them? Your LinkedIn Profile must:

Showcase what you have to offer;

Speak to their needs immediately; and

Brand you as desirable

Boring job description based LinkedIn Profile are like flannel nightgowns…. They won’t get you the attention you’re looking for.

What’s sexy to an employer?

Among other things, accomplishments detailing $$$ made or saved – NOT a laundry list of duties and responsibilities.

Get recommendations.

A recommendation is simply a testimonial on your LinkedIn profile, written by someone who knows your work. And it’s another basic that too many people neglect. Tip: The best way to get recommendations is to give them, because LinkedIn prompts anyone you recommend to give one to you in return. Plan on giving at least three recommendations for every one you seek.

LinkedIn recommendations

Endorsements. People who can’t think of what to say can now “endorse’ you for skills you claim to have. Here’s a great opportunity to use the power of Search Engine optimization [SEO] to reinforce your brand and back up the claims in your profile. And please note those are my endorsements and I didn’t have to ask a single person. People completed it on their own.

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A well-known name in executive search circles, David has personally closed more than 1000+ searches with a 99.7% success rate, and negotiated in excess of $200M in salaries. His creative recruiting principles lead to him being nicknamed the 'Rogue Recruiter' by The Wall Street Journal.